Judges 11: 30-40
And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the Lord … (Judges 11:30).

What is a vow? A vow is a promise to God or man that should not be broken. It is a solemn promise. It carries as much force as a written contract and it is binding (see Numbers 30:1-2, Deuteronomy 23: 21-27). Most times, a vow is made because we need a divine intervention in a situation.

Today, our attention is focused on the non-specific nature of Jephthah’s vow and the interpretation when he saw his daughter. The issue is that we need to be careful not to make an imprecise one as Jephthah did. In Ecclesiastes 5:4-5, we are advised to pay our vows.

Let us make sure that our vows are specific so that we do not suffer the guilt and grief that Jephthah experienced when he saw that it was his only child that came out to meet him and not an animal. What was meant to be a day of victory turned into a  time of sorrow and pains. When we get to heaven we will understand what finally happened to his daughter.

Someone might ask, “In view of this, why do we still continue to make vows?” It depends on you. Whether you believe in making a vow or not, many have made vows and have given sacrificial offerings that have drawn heaven’s attention to them and God did an uncommon miracle in their lives.

Your Turn

• Thank God for His word.
• Ask the Lord to guide you to know when you need to make a vow or refrain from making one.

Hymn: Saviour like a shepherd lead on.

Wisdom for the Day: Proverbs 9